This invention relates to delineators for delineating guardrail during the day and at night or under adverse weather conditions.
Current guardrail delineators are difficult to install and are not very durable. They are typically either mounted on the guardrail mounting bolts used to attach the guardrail to guardrail anchor supports or on the guardrail anchor supports themselves. Mounting the guardrail delineators on the guardrail mounting bolts has the drawback that the mounting bolts must be loosened to insert guardrail delineator brackets behind the bolt heads within the guardrail channel and then retightened. Also, when snow plows plow the road, oftentimes snow gets packed into the guardrail channel, covering the delineators.
When the delineators are mounted on the guardrail anchor supports, the delineators are generally positioned too far back from the guardrail. Also, the delineators are typically clipped or glued onto the top edge of the guardrail anchor supports where they are easily knocked off.
The guardrail delineators of the present invention are easier to install and have greater durability than previous guardrail delineators.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the guardrail delineators include a flag portion and a depending leg portion having one side edge with a notch axially spaced from the flag portion to allow an installer to easily maintain vertical and horizontal alignment of the flag portion with respect to the guardrail. By properly positioning the notch against the top edge of the guardrail or support structures therefor with the one side edge of the leg portion axially outwardly of the notch engaging the back side of the guardrail or support structures, the delineators are automatically correct for both vertical and horizontal alignment.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the leg portions of the delineators are secured to a flat surface on the guardrail anchor supports or associated spacer blocks as by means of lag bolts, screws, nails, tape or glue, giving the delineators added strength and making them harder to knock off.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the flag portions of the delineators extend outwardly to the outside edge of the guardrail.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the flag portion of the delineators are sized to suit a particular application.
These and other objects, advantages, features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but several of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.